Azerbaijani oppositionist placed into dungeon before the end of his prison term

Mamed Ibragim, an adviser to the chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), was placed into dungeon (punishment cell) two days before the end of the prison term, his son has reported. Ibragim's relatives and colleagues fear that a new criminal case can be opened against him.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 15, 2016, the court found Mamed Ibragim guilty of hooliganism and sentenced him to three years in prison. Mamed Ibragim was put on the list of Azerbaijani political prisoners.

In the evening on September 27, Mamed Ibragim's family received information that he had been placed into dungeon for two days. "They allegedly found a knife under his pillow; this was a provocation against my father undertaken two days before the end of his prison term. They don't want to release him from prison," Turan Ibragim, Mamed's son, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Tofig Yagublu, a former "prisoner of conscience" and a member of the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF), also fears that they may extend Mamed Ibragim's imprisonment. "It was an obvious provocation. On the eve of release, no one will admit violations, let alone keeping a knife under the pillow. Apparently, they are going to open a new criminal case against Ibragim by charging him with storage of prohibited items," Mr Yagublu told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 27, 2018 at 09:54 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.